Sewing-machine.



A. LA-THAM.

. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1913.

Patented June 13, 1916.

THE :0LUII\B!A PLANOORAPH m.,' WASHING N D c shaft of the machine.

ALBERT LATHAM, 0F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,'A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 13 1916 Original application filed December 26, 1912, Serial No. 738,647. Divided and this application filed May I 23, 1913. Serial No. 769,366.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT LATHAM, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsm Sew1ng-Ma chines; and I do hereby declare the follow-- ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to shoe sewing machines and more particularly to thread sever ing and holding devices for such machines.

This application is a division of applica-- To this end the invention consists in fea tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and referred to in the claims.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the mechanism illustrated therein.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation showing so much of a welt and turn sewing machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a detailed plan view of the thread holding and severing devices and Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevation with thread holding clip and cutter plate.

The machine shown in the drawings is a machine for sewing welt or turn shoes, and is providedwith a curved hook needle 1, the looper 2, the thread finger 3, the back gage 4: and the channel guide 5, all of which are operated in the usual manner from the cam The machine is also provided with devices by which the thread may be conveniently severed at the comple tion ofthe sewing and held in proper position for the'beginning of ,the next succeeding sewing operation. In the constructionshown, the devices, for severing the thread and holding the severed end of the thread supply, consist of a thread holder in the formpf a springfinger 6 formed on a plate 7 ad ustably secured to an arm 8. The spring finger is arranged to cooperate with the upper corrugated surface of the arm in firmly gripping the thread introduced between the finger and arm. A. cutter plate 9 1s secured to the side of the arm 8 in position to sever the thread when it is drawn under the finger 6 as indicated in Fig. 2. The arm 8 1s adjustably secured in a socket formed in the end of an arm 10 which is pivoted at 11 on the frame ofthe machine and is held in normal position by a spring 12. The retracted position of the thread holding arm is determined by a stop screw 13 and the forward movement of the arm is determined by a stop screw 11' p v After the machine has been brought torest at the completion of the sewing of the shoe, and after the welt has been severed, in case the machine is operating upon welt shoes, the operator raises the shoe and draws the thread leading from the shoe to the looper under the spring finger, 6, thus introducing the thread into the holder and severing the thread from the thread supply. At the beginning of the next succeeding sewing operation the end of the thread beyond-the thread handling devices is held by the thread holder and forward movement of the thread is resisted by the spring 12. The thread is, therefore, held under tension while the arm 10 may swing forward toward the sewing point against the tension of the spring 12 to give up thread to the thread handling devices during the formation of the first stitch 01' stitches. The formation of a tight seam at the beginning of the sewing operation is thus insured, while breaking of the thread under sudden strains or pulls exerted by the thread handling devices is avoided by the yielding of the spring 12. The thread holder continues to hold the thread under tension during the continuationof the sewing until the forward feed of the shoe draws the thread from the thread holding finger.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it should be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broader features of the invention and may be varied or modified without departing therefrom.

' embodiediwhat I claim is 1. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices, athreadholder for holding the free end of the thread constructed and arranged tobe moved toward the. sewing point bya pull on the thread,

and a spring arranged to resist said movement and constructed to yield under the a pull of the-"stitch forming devices.

tion, stitch forming-devices, an arm mounted for movement toward the sewingpolnt 2. A sewing machine; having, in combinato giveup thread to the stitch formingde vices, a spring arranged to'hold the arm in retracted pOSltlOIl-"iLIIdMGOIIStIHOtGd to yield: under the pull-f the stitch forming devices, and a holding device on'the arm constructed to retain the? free end- 0f the thread until-it is withdrawn by the-feed of and a spring fingeron the'arm forfric tionally holding the thread. .4. A sewing machine, having, in combina the work.

3. A sewmggmachme, hav1ng,1n combination, stitch--forming devices an arm-mounted for: movement towardthe sewing point to give up thread to the stitch forming devices, a spring arranged to hold the arm in retracted position and constructed to yield under the pull of the stitch formingdevices,

tion, stitch forming devices, and a device for holding the end of the thread constructed to yield under the pull of the stitch forming devices during their initial cycle.

5. A sewing machine, having, in combina-- t1on,"st1tch :torming devlces, a thread holding clamp mounted for movement toward the sewing point to give up thread to the stitch forming devices, and a spring arranged to hold the clamp in normal position and constructed to yield under the pull of the stitch forming devices.

- 6. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a thread holding clamp constructed to yield under the pull of the stitch forming devices during their initial cycle, and a thread severing blade at one sideof the clamp.

7. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming" devices, a -thread s'evering device for severing" the thread-at the completion of the sewing operation, a pivoted thread holder forholding the'end of thethread, and a spring arranged to'hold the thread holder in normal position and constructedto yieldingly resist its -movement underthe bull of the stitchaforming CHESTER; ROGERS,

'RUTH- E. WARD.

Unites ot thli'pate ntimay be obteined to r flvecents each, by addressinz the "Commissioner of la'tents.

i walhjngtomhc. 

